Will BlackBerry (BBRY) Stock be Helped by Android System Speculation?

BlackBerry (BBRY) is said to be considering outfitting its upcoming smartphone device with Google's (GOOGL) Android software.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- BlackBerry (BBRY) is said to be considering outfitting its upcoming smartphone device with Google's (GOOGL) Android software for the first time, sources told Reuters.

The consideration is said to be an acknowledgement that the company's updated line of devices was unsuccessful in coming off as appealing to the masses, the sources added. They noted that using Android is a part of BlackBerry's plan to shift focus onto software and device management.

The company's 2013 device, the BlackBerry 10, hasn't competed well against Android and Apple (AAPL) mostly because of a lack of big name apps.

"We don't comment on rumors and speculation, but we remain committed to the BlackBerry 10 operating system, which provides security and productivity benefits that are unmatched,' BlackBerry told Reuters.

Shares of BlackBerry are up by 0.76% to $9.28 in pre-market trading on Friday morning.

Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates BLACKBERRY LTD as a Sell with a ratings score of D. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:

"We rate BLACKBERRY LTD (BBRY) a SELL. This is driven by a few notable weaknesses, which we believe should have a greater impact than any strengths, and could make it more difficult for investors to achieve positive results compared to most of the stocks we cover. The area that we feel has been the company's primary weakness has been its declining revenues."

Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows: